Villandry Chateau Renaissance Gardens

. size: large

. open to public, entrance fee

. photos from May 2017
. the original garden was reconstructed at the beginning of 20th century

The ornamental garden, also called jardin'd amour. It contains four squares representing: 

- tender love (hearts with pink/orange flowers),

- passionate love (12 broken hearts with colorful flowers),

- fickle love (butterflies and horns with white/yellow flowers),

- tragic love (swords with red flowers).

Pavillon de l'Audience

The kitchen garden behind the ornamental garden

Vegetables are grown in nine squares of the kitchen garden (jardin potager). Vegetables are planted in March and June.

Villandry chateau jardins also contain a maze, a herbal garden and the Sun garden with a fountain.

Les Jardins Exotiques de Bouknadel in Rabat

. Size: medium

. open to public, entrance fee

. Photos from April 2015

Contrasting colors make a strong statement.

Note soft textures of Cyperus and an asymmetric informal line of the walking path.

Miramare Park in Italy

. open to public, free access to the garden

. size: medium

. photos from October 2017

Miramare park contains a french formal garden which is placed in front of the Swiss house,  now a coffee shop.

Miramare castle as viewed from the English garden.

Gaudi's Parc Güell in Barcelona

. public park, no entrance fee

. photos from April 2011

. Different types of pillar forms, united in the same color make Parc Güell unique and recognizable.

Grosser Garten in Dresden, Germany

. photo from April 2010

. flower beds in front of Sommerpalais

Garden of Chambord Castle, France

. size: large

. open to public

. photos from May 2017

. the garden was overgrown with weeds in the past, the replanting started in 2016

Chenonceau Castle Garden, France

. size: medium

. open to public, entrance fee

. photos from May 2017

Garden of Catherine de Medicis

Don't miss flower arrangements inside the castle.

Chenonceau Castle as viewed from the Diana's garden. Diana Potiere owned the castle in 16th century. She was the one who ordered castle's bridge across the river.

There are also some cottage gardens and a vegetable garden near the entrance to Chateau Chenonceau.

Wisteria in the more rustic part of the castle park

Garden Festival in Chaumont, France

. every year from April to November

. Photos from May 2017

. Photos from The 26th Garden Festival in Chaumont

The soft structure of bamboo leaves makes this contrast composition harmonious.

Unity is achieved by the use of wood in the natural environment.

Next to the exhibition of contemporary gardens, there is also the old garden of Chaumont Castle.

Schönbrunn Garden, Vienna, Austria

. size: big

. open to public, free entrance

. photos from September 2012
. a zoo and a botanical garden also lie in the same park

The garden axis points towards Gloriette (view from Great Parterre)

Colorful begonias in flower beds of Schoenbrunn in September

Schoenbrunn imperial summer residence was supposed to be as magnificent as Versailles. The palace was supposed to be built on the top of the hill. However, the plan was later changed.

Fondation Monet in Giverny

. size: medium

. open to public, entrance fee

. photos from May 2017

Claude Monet's house

The garden is divided into to parts. The fist part lies in front of the house and consist from straight lined flower beds.

Close up of one of the flower beds in the first part of the garden as seen in May.

The second part of the garden is the famous pond with a green Japanese bridge and oriental plants.

The famous pond where Monet painted his Nympheas. In the beginning of May there were no water lilies blooming, but there was a wisteria hanging down from the pergola over the green bridge.